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WHY Jesus LOVES US
By Doug Beatty AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2013 Doug Beatty
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4817-2157-8
Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Dallas Bound
It was your normal hot sunny July day, out in the flat lands of North Texas. Out in the middle of this flat dry and dusty land was the Air Force Training school. In the middle of the school we have four Airmen planning out what they were going to do for the Fourth of July weekend. What made this weekend special; they got a four day weekend pass. As the week went on they kept an' eye on the Duty Roster, to make sure none of them had duty on those four days.
As the weekend was approaching, they were undecided on where to go. Do they stay here, pick up four local girls and go to the lake. Or do they dare take a trip to Dallas! They really did not want to spend four days stuck on Base they could pick-up women and go to the lake anytime. Now Dallas had a lot more to offer than this small desert town. So Dallas it was.
The guys were figuring how much money they would need from each man to make this trip to Dallas. They knew they were going to need money for gas, food, Motel and the cost for extras. And there was another problem, how were they going to get there?
Among the four Airmen was a local boy, and his name is James Johnson the Third, everyone just called him "JJ". JJ had made the trip to Dallas several times he was the only one with a car. Other than JJ, the only one of the four who could drive was Jesse Romulus. Jesse was from el-Paso, Texas. They sometimes called him Mex. Short for Mexican. Jesse was not your usual Mexican he was tall about 6ft. Very good looking and most important he was rich.
The other two Airmen they just called them Yankees. Henry was from New Jersey and John was from West Virginia. Now if there was a bunch of misfits, these four Airmen fit right in there. You have JJ a local, Jesse out of El-Paso, Henry and John the two Yankees.
It is Thursday, the day before the big weekend and none of the guys are on duty the next four days. JJ's car was a 1948 Ford convertible, and it was loaded with gas, beer, snacks, and four misfits. The plan was set they would set out early Friday morning on their mission to seek an' destroy. They all went to bed early for tomorrow was going to be a long day.
CHAPTER 2
The Office Party
In the upper North East part of Texas about 75 miles South of Oklahoma is a city called Dallas. In the middle of this great City is a small insurance firm. Things were slow this week at the office. It was Monday morning and anything could happen but, not this Monday. It was too close to the Fourth of July weekend. With this being an insurance firm everyone knew nobody needs insurance before the storm until after it hits, they wish they had gotten insurance. Right now things are slow wait until after the weekend the phones will be ringing off the walls.
With this being a small firm only a few women worked here. When the roll was called, only five women answer up. There were four workers an' one supervisor. With things being as slow as they were, the four women got together and decided to have an office party for the Fourth. Now where would they have this party? They could have it at the City Park and be bored, for the only one in the office that's married, is Mrs. Clay. Mrs. Clay was the office supervisor, she not only had kids she had a couple of grandkids. Mrs. Clay came out of her office and asked the girls what they were doing for the Fourth?
She told them not to count on her. She was going to Austin to spend the weekend with her husband's family. And whatever they did decide be careful have fun doing it.
Well, this put a different light on the subject. Now they could go to the local dance hall on Saturday night and party there. They checked the paper to see who was playing at the dance hall. If it was someone good they would go there. Well, it just so happened Johnny and the Bandits were playing this weekend. The rest of the week the talk of the office was saturday night, Johnny and the Bandits, and what they were going to wear? Do they go formal, or western they all agreed on western after all they were going to a western dance.
These four girls are not your ordinary office girls. Each one has her own personality, and they respect each other's ways. That's why there was harmony between them in, and out, of the office. The leader, and oldest of the four is sally. Sally is twenty five; Mary, Judy, and Grace were between the ages of twenty one and twenty three. Sally talked about the time she saw them at the Fort-Worth rodeo. And how they played a lot of Hank Williams songs, for Hank had died earlier this year.
Mary and Judy both commented, they too, were at the rodeo that same weekend. Judy said it was hard for her to listen to Hanks songs without crying. She added I have just about all of his songs and Patsy Clines. Judy started to name off all the records she had at home of other singers when Mary butted in and said, "Yes, we all know about your collection! And we all miss Hank." Mary and Judy were the social girls, if there was a party or social event going on in Dallas they would be there. The
The fourth girl Grace is known as the farmer's daughter. Grace came from a small town just east of Waco. Her father use to be a cotton farmer until on summer a sand storm destroyed all he had. Grace was the new girl on the block. She started with the firm right after Collage. This city life was new to her. Don't misunderstand, Grace might be country, but she could party with the best of them. And she was looking forward to going dancing too.
For the rest of the week the girls were having a hard time finding something to do in the office to pass the time away. To them time had come to a stop, to their surprise it was Friday, and 5:00pm an time really came to a stop. The four girls looked at each other and said, "Until Saturday night, look out Dallas here we come."
CHAPTER 3
Friday Morning
Before sunrise the four Airmen were up, dressed and on their way out the gate. The guard at the gate saw a car coming, and if he only knew what this car of misfits was up to, he would not have let them off the Base. Yet, on the other hand, maybe he did and wished he could go with them. He just waved them on saying to himself, "good luck fellows!" As they drove out the gate. When they got on the highway all four said at the same time, "look out Dallas here we come."
They were on the road for about two an' a half hours, when JJ pulled into the City limits of Fort-Worth. He yelled at the other guys, telling them it was time to wake-up. As the guys were waking up, JJ knew they needed to find a cheap Motel. Right before they got to the city limits of Dallas, JJ found a Motel called, "The Cowboy Inn."
JJ pulled into the parking lot; he and Jesse went into the office to check in. They went to their room, "room number four". As they were unloading the car Henry asked Jesse if he had asked the front desk clerk where they could get something to eat. Jesse did not know how to answer this, for this was going to be a challenge. He wanted Mexican food.
JJ wanted a bowl of pinto beans, and cornbread with a slice of onion. Henry and John had no idea what those two were talking about, for they had never had Mexican food and they did not know what cornbread was. Yes, Henry we found a restaurant to satisfy us all it serves' hamburgers and fries.
After lunch they spent the rest of the afternoon exploring what Dallas had to offer. They did not go too far, for they did not want to waste all their money on gas. They made their way back to the Inn; each took a shower an' put on clean clothes. They went back to the restaurant where they had lunch to have supper.
The restaurant was not far from the Inn, so they walked. JJ said, "It's a good thing we walked, I don't believe we could have found a place to park." John replied your right, "With all the cars here, they might be having a party inside." They made their way in and after they were seated. JJ asked the waitress what was happening this weekend.
She looked at JJ and with a smile and said, "Fort-Worth is having their Fourth of July rodeo. They have two events, the rodeo and the livestock show. It started today and they will be here until Monday. Then Saturday night at the "Big T" dance hall Johnny and the Bandits are playing."
Henry looked up from the menu with a frown on his face; it was more of a lost look than a frown, for he did not understand what the waitress meant when she said "Big T", so he asked. Excuse me, but what does the "T" stand for?
At first the waitress thought Henry was joking until she saw the look on his face. She looked over at JJ and said, "he's joking right!"
JJ looked up at her and said, "You have to forgive him, for you see he's not from around here. He is from New Jersey." It was a good thing JJ answered her, for Jesse and John were about to fall out of their chairs from laughing so hard. Henry looked at everyone and asked, "What is so funny?" This made everyone laugh even harder.
The waitress had tears in her eyes trying to hold back from laughing too. She cleared her throat and without looking straight at Henry and said, "The "T" stands for Texas."
When she told Henry what the "T" stood for he started to laugh too. He could not believe he had asked such a question. The rest of the meal, into the night, they keep asking Henry what the "T" stood for? The more beer they drank the funnier the "T" became. Now back in their room, they planned to go to the rodeo. JJ, Jesse, and John said to Henry, "Good night Big "T".
CHAPTER 4
Saturday
John got up early Saturday morning, he went and made coffee, then went outside to sit at the table on the back patio. As John sat at the table, he got to thinking about where his life was going. His parents had separated when he was young and he had dropped out of high school in the 10th grade and joined the Navy. He had no idea why he joined the Navy for he was afraid of the water. After two years in the Navy he went back and finished High School. Right after School he went and joined the Air Force. John was about to light up another Lucky, when JJ came out. In one hand he had a cup and in the other he had the coffee pot. As he was setting everything down on the table, he looked at John and asked, "What are you in deep thought about?"
John answered, "Not much, I was thinking about my life, where it was, and where it is going."
JJ poured a cup of coffee then asked John, "If he wanted a refill." Then said, "Just the other day I had the same thoughts. My father was a drunk, and my mother had to work two jobs to pay the bills. After high school I traveled around doing odd jobs."
Then one day I woke up not knowing what to do. I looked out the windshield of my car, and saw a sign that read, "Uncle Sam Wants You" and that big finger was pointing right at me. So I went down and joined the Air force. While I was in basic I decided to make the Air Force my life."
John said, "I knew I wanted to make the Air Force my life when I signed up."
Jesse and Henry came outside, just as John said sign up. Jesse looked at both of them and asked, "What are you two talking about?" JJ told him, than Jesse replied, "That's too deep of a subject to think about so early in the morning. Let's all get dressed and go get breakfast."
John looked up at Jesse and commented, "Is that all you think about is eating?"
Jesse replied, "That and women, now lets' go!"
When the guys came into the restaurant, the waitress asked JJ if they wanted their favorite table this morning. JJ answered, "If it is empty, that would be nice". When they got to their table two waitress brought their coffee. Then one waitress told the guys, my name is Mary Ann, and I'll be your waitress this morning. Jesse looked up, and ordered two breakfast tacos, refried beans, and rice. JJ had biscuits and country gravy.
Henry and John had bacon an' eggs, with hash browns.
As they were eating they started to plan out the day. Now the service had taught them, one cannot do anything without a plan. JJ unfolded his napkin got out his pen and started to write. The first thing they wanted to do today was go to the Rodeo. If there was a carnival, they would spend part of the day there. Then after the rodeo come back to the room, and get ready for tonight.
* * *
Grace woke up early this morning and made coffee then went out and sat at the table on the patio. The sun was just coming up over the fields, a sight she had seen many times as a child on the farm. As the sun was coming up she was thinking about the hardship her parents went though. After they lost their farm and had to move to town. After College Grace thought she was blessed to have the job at the firm. She was also hoping to meet someone and have a good life together. She also had made herself a promise; she would do whatever it takes, to have the family of her dreams.
Just as the sun came into full view across the field, Sally came outside with her coffee cup and asked Grace if there was any left? Grace said sure.
Then Sally asked Grace what she was thinking about.
Not looking right at Sally, she said, "I was thinking about the times when we lived on the farm. How hard we had to work just to lose it all to a sandstorm in one afternoon. And how I would like to meet the right man, raise a family and I would do everything I can to make it a happy one."
Sally poured herself a cup of coffee and began to tell Grace she too, at one time had the same dream. It was right after high school, she had married her high school sweetheart. A year later he joined the Army and was shipped off to Korea. He was there six months when he was killed. That was over a year ago. Then I realized I needed to move on with my life. Don't get me wrong, for there are times when I think about Jim.
Sally and Grace were looking out across the field when Judy and Mary drove up the driveway. The two party girls came around the corner of the house and saw Sally and Grace sitting in their PJs'. Judy asked, as she was walking up to the patio. "Why are you two sitting out here in your PJs', go get dressed and lets' go and get something to eat."
Grace looked up at Judy and asked, "Is that all you think about is eating?"
Judy reply, "That and men, now go get dressed."
There was a good restaurant two blocks down from the building were the girls worked, they would come here for lunch and they served a great breakfast on the weekend. So this is where they went to eat, plus Judy liked one of the cooks there. The girls had bacon an' eggs with hash browns. That is everyone except Judy. When she said she was hungry, she was not joking. Instead of bacon Judy ordered ham and half an' order of pancakes.
What amazed the girls about Judy eating, was where did she put it. Judy stood five feet four and weighed only 105lbs. Where did it go? Sally and Grace both agreed if they eat like that, they would be as big as a boxcar.
While they were eating breakfast, the girls had no idea what to do the rest of the day. Then little quit Mary spoke up and said, "Why don't we go shopping at the new shopping center they built in Garland, TX. I need a new dress for tonight."
Sally said, "Sounds like a great idea; I need a new pair of shoes myself."
Grace reply, "Why? You have a closet full now." Mary and Judy laughed. It was final they would go shopping, then back to Grace an' sally's for supper.
CHAPTER 5
The Rodeo
As the guys got ready to leave the restaurant, JJ asked Mary Ann what was the best way to the Rodeo. She got a piece of paper from her order tablet and handed it to JJ. Here write down these directions. From here you take 303 to down town Fort Worth, then take 180 West, to 287 North, to 183, turn left this will take you to the stockyards. It is about 20 miles from here. JJ thanked her, then they got into the car and away they went.
When they left JJ and Jesse got up front, and Henry and John got in the back. As they were getting on route 180 West, Jesse looked over at JJ and said, "God has got to be with us, for you have hit every light green."
Henry asked, "What has God got to do with it?"
In a way that comment upset Jesse, but he keep his cool and told Henry, "I'm not going to get into a religious battle with you. I'll be more than glad to tell you all about God, when we get back to the Motel!!"
John looked over at Henry and said, "one day, you'll learn to think before you speak."
JJ turned right off of 183 and followed the sign to the stock-yards. He pulled up to the gate, paid the dollar for parking, then looked over at Jesse, "Your right, God is with us, look a parking space right up front."
John said, "That's because we are early. For the rodeo does not start until 11:30. And it is only 09:30. Lets' walk over to the barns and look around until then."
Jesse replied, "John I knew we brought you along for something! That's a great idea. And who knows there could be some good looking girls over there."
Henry opened his mouth and said, "And animals too."
JJ looked over at Henry and said, "shut-up Henry, don't you speak again for the rest of the day." This brought out a loud laughter from Jesse and John.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from WHY Jesus LOVES US by Doug Beatty. Copyright © 2013 by Doug Beatty. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
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